leaving

[ lee-ving ]

/ ˈli vɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR leaving ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something that is left; residue.

leavings, leftovers or remains; refuse.

Nearby words

leaven, leavening, leavenworth, leaves, leaves of grass, leaving, leavings, leavis, leavitt, leavy, leawood

Origin of leaving

First recorded in 1300–50, leaving is from the Middle English word leving. See leave¹, -ing¹

Definition for leaving (2 of 3)

leave

[ leev ]

/ liv /

verb (used with object), left, leav·ing.

to go out of or away from, as a place: to leave the house.

to depart from permanently; quit: to leave a job.

to let remain or have remaining behind after going, disappearing, ceasing, etc.: I left my wallet home. The wound left a scar.

to allow to remain in the same place, condition, etc.: Is there any coffee left?

to let stay or be as specified: to leave a door unlocked.

to let (a person or animal) remain in a position to do something without interference: We left him to his work.

to let (a thing) remain for action or decision: We left the details to the lawyer.

to give in charge; deposit; entrust: Leave the package with the receptionist. I left my name and phone number.

to stop; cease; give up: He left music to study law.

to disregard; neglect: We will leave this for the moment and concentrate on the major problem.

to give for use after one's death or departure: to leave all one's money to charity.

to have remaining after death: He leaves a wife and three children.

to have as a remainder after subtraction: 2 from 4 leaves 2.

Nonstandard. let¹(defs 1, 2, 6).

verb (used without object), left, leav·ing.

to go away, depart, or set out: We leave for Europe tomorrow.

Verb Phrases

leave alone. alone(def 7).

leave off,

to desist from; cease; stop; abandon.
to stop using or wearing: It had stopped raining, so we left off our coats.
to omit: to leave a name off a list.

leave out, to omit; exclude: She left out an important detail in her account.

Origin of leave

before 900; Middle English leven, Old English lǣfan (causative formation from base of lāf remainder; see lave²); cognate with Old High German leiban (compare German bleiben to remain), Old Norse leifa, Gothic -laibjan

SYNONYMS FOR leave

1, 2 abandon, forsake, desert; relinquish.

9 forbear, renounce.

10 ignore, forget.

11 bequeath, will; devise, transmit.

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ANTONYMS FOR leave

1, 2 join.

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Related forms

leav·er, noun

Usage note

Leave is interchangeable with let when followed by alone with the sense “to refrain from annoying or interfering with”: Leave (or Let ) her alone and she will solve the problem easily. When he was left (or let ) alone without interruptions, the boy quickly assembled the apparatus. The use of leave alone for let alone in the sense “not to mention” is nonstandard: There wasn't any standing room, let (not leave ) alone a seat, so I missed the performance.
Other substitutions of leave for let are generally regarded as nonstandard: Let (not Leave ) us sit down and talk this over. Let (not Leave ) her do it her own way. The police wouldn't let (not leave ) us cross the barriers. See also let¹.

Definition for leaving (3 of 3)

leave

[ leev ]

/ liv /

verb (used without object), leaved, leav·ing.

to put forth leaves; leaf.

Origin of leave

1250–1300; Middle English leven, derivative of lef leaf

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for leaving

On Dec. 22, 1799, Sands told her cousins that she would be leaving to elope with a fellow boarder named Levi Weeks that night.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The result is that drone operators are leaving the Air Force in droves.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says|Dave Majumdar|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Will he go for the schoolteacher and abandon the family, leaving behind his smashing dinner suits?
What Downton’s Fashion Really Means|Katie Baker|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Because of this, the peacekeeping forces have been blocking Muslims from leaving on envoys out of the country.
The Year’s Most Forgotten Humanitarian Crisis|Nina Strochlic|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST

It drains your body of nutrients and vitamins, attacking the central nervous system and leaving you in a dehydrated, hazy state.
History's Craziest Hangover Cures|Justin Jones|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Suppose your stepfather should consent to your leaving home?
Making His Way|Horatio Alger, Jr.
Tobias had seemed impressed, and promised his answer in the morning, leaving her to sleep—with a sentry at her cabin door.
Pieces of Eight|Richard le Gallienne
Porcelain bath tubs and running hot water were found in Hongkong, the first we noted since leaving South Africa.
Seven Legs Across the Seas|Samuel Murray
They will continue to feed until every vestige of the tubers is eaten, leaving the ground in a fine condition for replanting.
The Hawaiian Islands|The Department of Foreign Affairs
She fluttered off, doing the wounded-bird trick, leaving behind her an egg and a newly hatched chick.
A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open|Theodore Roosevelt

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (1 of 3)

leave

/ (liːv) /

verb leaves, leaving or left (mainly tr)

(also intr) to go or depart (from a person or place)

to cause to remain behind, often by mistake, in a placehe often leaves his keys in his coat

to cause to be or remain in a specified statepaying the bill left him penniless

to renounce or abandonto leave a political movement

to refrain from consuming or doing somethingthe things we have left undone

to result in; causechildhood problems often leave emotional scars

to allow to be or remain subject to another person or thingleave the past to look after itself

to entrust or commitleave the shopping to her

to submit in place of one's personal appearancewill you leave your name and address?

to pass in a specified directionflying out of the country, we left the cliffs on our left

to be survived by (members of one's family)he leaves a wife and two children

to bequeath or devisehe left his investments to his children

(tr) to have as a remainder37 – 14 leaves 23

not standard to permit; let

leave be informal to leave undisturbed

leave go or leave hold of not standard to stop holding

leave it at that informal to take a matter no further

leave much to be desired to be very unsatisfactory

leave someone alone

Also: let alone See let 1 (def. 7)
to permit to stay or be alone

leave someone to himself not to control or direct someone

See also leave behind, leave off, leave out

Derived Forms

leaver, noun

Word Origin for leave

Old English lǣfan; related to belīfan to be left as a remainder

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (2 of 3)

leave

/ (liːv) /

noun

permission to do somethinghe was granted leave to speak

by your leave or with your leave with your permission

permission to be absent, as from a place of work or dutyleave of absence

the duration of such absenceten days' leave

a farewell or departure (esp in the phrase take (one's) leave)

on leave officially excused from work or duty

take leave to say farewell (to)

take leave of one's senses to go mad or become irrational

Word Origin for leave

Old English lēaf; related to alӯfan to permit, Middle High German loube permission

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (3 of 3)

leave

/ (liːv) /

verb leaves, leaving or leaved

(intr) to produce or grow leaves

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with leaving

leave

In addition to the idioms beginning with leave

leave a bad taste in one's mouth
leave alone
leave a lot to be desired
leave flat
leave hanging
leave holding the bag
leave in the lurch
leave no stone unturned
leave off
leave one cold
leave open
leave out
leave out in the cold
leave out of account
leave someone alone
leave someone in peace
leave someone in the lurch
leave someone to his or her resources
leave the door open
leave to someone's own devices
leave to someone's tender mercies
leave well enough alone
leave without a leg to stand on
leave word

also see:

absent without leave
(leave) high and dry
(leave) out in the cold
take it or leave it
take leave of
take one's leave

Also see underlet.

leaving

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of leaving

Definition for leaving (2 of 3)

leave

verb (used with object), left, leav·ing.

verb (used without object), left, leav·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of leave

SYNONYMS FOR leave

ANTONYMS FOR leave

Related forms

Usage note

Definition for leaving (3 of 3)

leave

verb (used without object), leaved, leav·ing.

Origin of leave

Examples from the Web for leaving

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (1 of 3)

leave

verb leaves, leaving or left (mainly tr)

Derived Forms

Word Origin for leave

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (2 of 3)

leave

noun

Word Origin for leave

British Dictionary definitions for leaving (3 of 3)

leave

verb leaves, leaving or leaved

Idioms and Phrases with leaving

leave